1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a salve composition having medicinal properties in the treatment of skin disorders. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a medicinal salve composition which includes sugar as a therapeutically active ingredient for topically treating burns, wounds, lesions, and other skin traumas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous salve or ointment compositions are available for the topical treatment of a variety of deleterious skin conditions including open wounds and burns. Amongst the numerous substances tested as active ingredients in promoting the healing of wounds, only a small number of those additives have been shown to be more effective than the ointment carriers alone. For example, various herbs and plant extracts have been known to be used in salves and/or ointment preparations as therapeutic agents for healing wounds and treating minor burns. Typical of such preparations claiming some medicinal value are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,725,438 to Leazer and U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,664 to Sharkey. The patent to Leazer describes an aloe vera ointment which is effective in treating topical lesions, and the Sharkey patent discloses a medicinal salve for the treatment of burns, scalds, insect bites and the like comprising olive oil, beeswax, camphor, pine rosin, and lanolin. However, it is difficult to maintain the therapeutic effectiveness of many of these additives, and the unstable medicaments can not be used on a long term basis without undesirable side effects.
It has also been suggested in the prior art that free granulated sugar and sugar products such as honey and molasses have been used for centuries in treating wounds and burns. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,651 to Knutson discloses a wound-healing composition containing polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine as the antifungal/antibacterial agent and granulated sugar in a suitable carrier. However, the components of this patented composition tend to separate upon standing or storage and must be redispersed prior to use. Also, the sugar/anti-infective composition of this patent tends to enhance bleeding and its application to bleeding wounds is not recommended until hemostatis is assured. In addition, the antifungal/antibacterial component of the reference formulation is a relatively complex or costly pharmaceutical additive, and the compounding of such formulations has proved to be a relatively involved, time-consuming procedure.